


The meaning of family

by Inkera



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crying, Family Feels, Feelings ensue, Gen, Mother's Day, Post SU Future, Steven comes back to Beach City to visit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24108433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkera/pseuds/Inkera
Summary: Set after SU Future.Steven comes back to Beach City on Mother's Day to give his favorite bird mom a gift.-Tumblr: inkera0
Relationships: Pearl & Steven Universe
Comments: 5
Kudos: 89





	The meaning of family

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Mother's Day! 
> 
> I absolutely adore the relationship between Steven and Pearl, and I wanted to write this sappy, feel-good story for them.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

As Steven pulled the Dondai into Beach City for the first time in nearly two years, he embraced the wave of nostalgia that hit the moment he passed the giant “Welcome to Beach City” sign - but as he turned the corner overlooking the town, nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him like an old friend. 

Reddish orange hues of the sunrise enveloped the old town that raised him, creating a welcoming backdrop while accentuating all the things that changed in his absence. The Funland Amusement Park had expanded further into the ocean, and Steven could see the outlines of a few new rides he didn’t recognize. He saw buildings along the coast that weren’t there two years ago, which he was excited to check out sometime during his visit. Little Homeworld had expanded, providing more housing units for the gems who were excited to start their new lives on Earth.

Even with all the new changes, Steven knew it was the same quirky town with the same complicated but amazing people, and the thought of catching up with old friends and family blurred his vision with tears. 

He was finally home.

The beach house appeared empty as expected - his plan was to arrive when all the gems were out for the day, assuming their schedules were still the same from the last time they talked. But as he carried his suitcase and duffle bag up the creaking wooden stairs to the front door, a shout from inside startled him, nearly causing him to drop his bag.

“Steven, you’re back!” A tall, thin figure overwhelmed him into a tight hug, knocking all the air out of his lungs. “You should have called ahead; I would have cooked something special! And I haven’t yet cleaned up the mess Amethyst made in the kitchen this morning. Honestly, you’d think she would pick up after herself after all these years, especially in a shared living space.”

“Pearl,” gasped Steven, as the taller gem rambled on. “It’s good to see you, too.” 

Pearl pulled back when she realized how tight she was squeezing but still held him at arm's length to get a good look at him. “Sorry, Steven,” she said sheepishly. “Oh, I just missed you so much. Look how much you’ve grown. Are you eating well? Getting enough sleep?”

“Yes to all those things.” Steven smiled. As capable as he was of looking after himself now, he actually missed Pearl fussing over him. “I wanted to surprise you guys when you came home. Don’t you have a class today?” 

“Garnet convinced me to take some ‘vacation.’” Pearl wiggled two fingers to act as quotation marks. She huffed. “Apparently I picked up too much work all at once, and the stress was, admittedly, starting to manifest itself in unhealthy ways.” 

“Well, I’m glad you’re taking some time for yourself, Pearl,” replied Steven, as the two of them made their way into the house, plopping his duffel onto the couch and propping his suitcase against the side. The kitchen was indeed a disaster - random ingredients and dishes littered the counters and floor like a hurricane had blown through. Steven didn’t mind, however; if anything, the mess made it feel more like home. “My therapist had to remind me recently to take things at a slower pace, and I feel a lot more happy and relaxed.” 

Pearl took a moment to gaze with proud, glistening eyes at the boy who grew into a responsible young man far too quickly for her liking. Time moved way too fast for humans, but their ability to make meaningful change in such a short span of time truly amazed her. She wiped at a stray tear before Steven could see, taking a steadying breath. “I’m so proud of you,” she murmured, pulling the young man into another hug. 

Steven laughed this time and leaned into the softer embrace, wrapping his own arms around the taller gem’s waist. He stayed there for a while, enjoying the feeling of love and security he had been missing all those years away, until his original plan came back to mind. “There’s a reason I came back today, actually.”

“Oh?”

Steven pulled back to dig into his duffel bag, pulling out a small, brown box and presenting it to the other gem with outstretched arms. “Happy Mother’s Day, Pearl.” 

“Mother’s…” Pearl’s eyes widened at the implication, breath caught in her chest. She took hold of the box with trembling fingers, thumbing open the top, and she gasped at the sight that greeted her.

Inside, resting on white leather padding, was a rainbow quartz necklace shaped into a heart. 

“Steven, it’s beautiful,” Pearl responded softly, taking hold of the glittering stone and gently intertwining the thin golden chain between her fingers. She ran a thumb over the smooth cut gem, admiring the way a golden wire was woven around and shaped into an elegant tree on one side. 

“I wanted to give you something that embodied the connection we have. The rainbow quartz for the physical manifestation of our relationship, the tree to represent our ties as family, and the heart to portray the love we have for each other.” Steven’s fingers fidgeted nervously. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” breathed Pearl. The colorful gem glimmered in the light of the rising sun as she tenderly turned it over in her palm. 

“Ever since I was little, you’ve been looking out for me and guiding me on the path to the person I am today.” Steven took a steadying breath when his voice faltered from an unexpected surge of emotion. He wanted to make sure everything he wanted to say was said without fault - Pearl deserved it. “You stood by my side through everything and supported me through all my changes. I know you said before that change was unnatural to gems, but I’ve witnessed your struggles and your growth, and your determination through it all inspires me every day to keep going and live life to the fullest.”

“Steven…” Pearl’s voice caught in her throat.

“Growing up, you loved me for who I was - fearlessly and unapologetically - and it gave me the courage to be true to myself.” Steven pulled Pearl into a hug, his voice slightly muffled against the taller gem’s shoulder. “You helped teach me what love and family means, and there aren’t enough words to express how thankful I am for that - how thankful I am for your tremendous heart that helps get me through even the darkest of days. Your love taught me what it means to be strong in the real way.”

Pearl clutched tighter around the gem in her palm, unshed tears burning at the corners of her eyes.

“You were every bit a mother to me, biological or not, and I am so privileged to have had you in my life for all those years.

“So, I’m here to say happy Mother’s Day, Pearl,” Steven continued, tightening his grip on the other gem who was crying now, her chest shuddering with barely concealed sobs. His own feelings were starting to get the better of him as well, as tears welled up and spilled over his cheeks. His next words were shaky as he whispered, “I love you.”

Pearl could only cling to the young man at this point, clutching onto the back of his pink jacket, as she struggled to find her voice. She took a deep breath between sobs to try and steady herself before murmuring, “I love you, too, Steven.”

As the sun climbed further over the horizon, yellow rays filtered in through the glass windows overlooking the beach, outlining the two embracing figures. Years ago, thought Steven, as tears spilled from his eyes and onto the taller gem’s blue jacket, the two of them had been completely different people. Since then, there had been pain and hardships - from the past, from gems who wished them harm, and even from each other. Through all of that, they loved and supported each other and came out the other side as better people. However, no matter what happened, one thing had been constant from the very beginning.

They were family, and that would never change.

**Author's Note:**

> Some much-needed Steven & Bird Mom interaction <3 Admittedly, I projected a bit of my own relationship with my mother into this story, but hopefully I kept most of the interactions between Pearl and Steven in character. Thanks for reading!


End file.
